TxDOT taps the brakes on San Antonio’s Broadway improvement plan

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — A plan to turn San Antonio’s Broadway into a “complete street” is at a standstill and the Mayor isn’t happy with the suggested detour.

KSAT-12 is reporting that Mayor Ron Nirenberg met with officials with TxDOT and the Texas Transportation Commission Thursday to discuss the city’s plan to make changes to Broadway.

The city was looking to reduce a 2 mile stretch of the busy road that runs from The Pearl to The University of the Incarnate Word from 6 lanes to 4. The reduction was to make room for tree lined medians, bike lanes and sidewalk improvements. That section of Broadway is owned by the state.

But the state decided keeping the six lanes was the best way to help traffic flow.

Mayor Nirenberg tells KSAT:

“TxDOT’s priority is not improving traffic flow and mitigating congestion, it’s about six lanes of asphalt, regardless of capacity.”

He goes on the say TxDOT is working on a plan to keep that section of Broadway at six lanes with improvements to pedestrian safety.

The $144 million dollar Broadway improvement proposal was approved by voters in a 2017 bond.